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Australian Government Department of Education and Training (DET) 2019, Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework For Australia, Australian Government Department of Education and Training, viewed 21 September 2021, <https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf>.

City Kids Early Learning Centre 2021, Home, City Kids Early Learning Centre, Melbourne, viewed 22 September 2021, <https://www.citykids.com.au/?gclid=CjwKCAjw1JeJBhB9EiwAV612y5ixAAK5ebO1jjgWkgOhU3-cM6mGsQqU7AEwmDxib72qlvqFpfH0TRoCJNQQAvD_BwE>.

Nolan, A & Raban, B 2015, Theories into Practice: Understanding and rethinking our work with young children and the EYLF, Teaching Solutions, Blairgowrie, viewed 21 September 2021.

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Nxumalo, F, Kocher, L, Elliott, E & Sanchez, A 2015, ‘Opening to possibilities’, Journeys: reconceptualizing early childhood practices through pedagogical narrations, University of Toronto Press, North York, Ontario, p.47, viewed 20 September 2021, <https://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook?sid=fa0f8a76-155b-4840-915e-cb833637c624%40sessionmgr101&ppid=pp_143&vid=0&format=EB>.

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There are numerous ways to promote and encourage more collaborative learning with children, such as what was observed in the ordinary moments. A teaching practice from the Belonging, Being and Becoming framework is ‘responsiveness to children’ (DET 2019, 16). To inspire more collaborative learning between the children we can acknowledge the strengths of children and encourage children to teach others or assist other then they are stuck (DET 2019). If a child finds something challenging, teachers can ask for the assistance from another child who may be confident in the task. This will assist them to share their knowledge and build confidence as they teach others.

In relation to the environment, provocations can be laid out throughout the room. More specifically, in relation to how the room is set out. Setting up spaces that encourage collaborative learning, for example when setting up tabletop activities, the teacher or educator can consider the number of seats. Instead of having one single chair at an experience, to encourage the collaborative interactions with children we can put 2 or more chairs to invite more children to the table experience.

Group times can be planned in a way that stimulates the collaboration and sharing of ideas between the children. Group times will need to allow children to express themselves, share their knowledge with the group if they feel comfortable and to problem solve together. For example, reading a story and asking children to draw a picture of what they think might happen next. This can be done individually and then sharing their thoughts or in pairs to promote collaboration. Their creative thinking processes can show children various ways of thinking.

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From my observed ordinary moments, I can see that children are ‘curious, competent, rich, and full of potential’ (Pacini-Ketchabaw 2014, p.47). However, most importantly I can see that children are capable. The connection I observed is the children intentionally and unintentionally teaching their peers, all of which is social constructed in their learning environment.

Through the observations I noticed children participating in uninterrupted play. The teachers and educators took a step back and I noticed the interactions the children were having together. I was listening to conversations and observing the actions and behaviours of the children. I could see the groups of kindergarten children were acting as role models, and in part of the ordinary moments it was unintentional. They were acting as a role model in relation to demonstrating creativity throughout their play and setting the expectation of the positive behaviour for the younger children who interact and share the same yard with them. Theorist Barbara Rogoff, believes that children learn through observation, and through the observed ordinary moments this theory is evident (Nolan & Raban 2015, pp.40-41). The younger children observed the older children in their play, more specifically the water play experience with Harvey and Maxwell. Their creative ideas in the experience inspired new ideas and inspiration to the younger children’s play as they were eager to get involved and try too. This demonstrates that the children are contributing to their community (learning outcome 2).  They are building on their ‘own social experiences’ (DET 2019) and it is evident as the kindergarten children interact with each other as well as the younger children joining in a similar play at the same experience.

Throughout the ordinary moments I can see that the kindergarten children are also developing their sense of wellbeing (learning outcome 3) as they have become contributors to their learning environment by sharing the skills (DET 2019). The ordinary moments observed have demonstrated that the kindergarten children have become experts in skills and have taken it upon themselves to become teachers to children. This empowers children and assists them to develop into confident individuals who will evidently become more involved in their learning (learning outcome 4) (DET 2019). Through the observations, we can distinctly see Lev Vygotsky’s theory (Nolan & Raban 2015). The observed children have shown that they make the most out of their learning when in social situations. Through their interactions children have been able to further their skills of safe play and bike riding. I noticed they learned more through the interactions between their peers. Additionally, the ordinary moments demonstrate the different intelligence that Howard Gardener introduces. The younger children demonstrated that they learn through ‘bodily-kinesthetic intelligence’ as they were learning by doing and the older children were learning through the ‘interpersonal intelligence’ (Nolan & Raban 2015, p.26).

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Ordinary moment 1

Anna (5), Henna (5), Valencia (5) - Rooftop yard – 6/09/2021

Anna, Henna and Valencia brought their bikes from home to the centre and brought them outdoors to ride. They were in a learning space nearby, meanwhile a few younger children were having a try at using their bikes. After some time, Anna, Henna and Valencia noticed the younger children were not as confident riding bikes as they were. The younger children needed time and assistance to learn the necessary skills to become more confident. The three of them came and assisted one child each in going around the track, they were walking next to them as they rode. They would show them how to move their feet to use the pedals, provide support to them by walking next to then and helping them up when they fell or eventually, they when the younger children felt more confident Valencia rode slowly next to them. Holding their handle to help them get started. Whilst Henna and Anna took a step back to let them practice on their own and helped them when they could see they needed help. The younger children over time took it upon themselves to then start assisting other peers trying the bikes.

Ordinary moment 2

Harvey (5) & Maxwell (5) – Rooftop yard – 9/09/2021

In the afternoon the kindergarten and pre-kindergarten children were on the rooftop playground. Harvey, Maxwell, and some younger children were participating in waterplay freely. Harvey filled a plastic cylinder with water and blue food colouring. He was gently pouring it into the waterplay tray and watched as it slowly spread through the water over time. Nearby pre-kinder children were observing what he was doing. They then approached their educator and asked if they could use food colouring like Harvey.

Ordinary moment 3

Harvey (5) & Maxwell (5) – Rooftop yard – 9/09/21

Maxwell was holding a small metal ladder which is an additional part to the climbing frames. Maxwell approached me and asked, “Temmeka where can I put this?”. I said, “where do you want to put it, Maxwell?”. He looked around and tried one spot, “here?” he said. “Is it safe?”. Harvey said “no!” so they tried a few places to find the safest spot. A few of the pre-kinder children joined in for the search for a place. They placed it on top of a storage box which was safe enough for children to use with supervision. An educator placed mats on the ground as they begun to climb the ladder and jump off the box. A couple of pre-kinder children joined, and Maxwell noticed they weren’t being safe, and he demonstrated to them what they were doing. Then they all took turns at climbing then jumping.

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4. Question: How can we promote and encourage more collaborative learning from children?

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My name is Temmeka, my placement was at City Kids Early Learning Centre with children aged 4-5. The room is run by Demi Clancy, the kindergarten teacher, and has created a very child-focused room. Each child has opportunities for independence, to have their voice heard and is evident they are listened to. Children’s ideas are shared and acted upon in the room. It is visible through their environment, for example where they display their artwork and what learning spaces they would like to see. The child-focused theme is evident within the centre as they work towards really listening to children and meeting their needs.

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Collaborative partnerships between children